Refrigeration system and apparatus



1941- B. J. GCLDSMITH 2,229,500

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 21 1958 INVENTOR.

' Emma/w Gama/wry ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of refrigeration or cooling and more particularly is concerned with a refrigeration or cooling system and apparatus in which the compressor for the refrigerant is sealed within a fluid-tight casing whereby to obviate the danger of leakage ofthe refrigerant.

0 One object of the invention is to provide a sealed refrigeration system and apparatus in i0 frigerant compressor by a motor located externally of the casing in which the refrigerator com pressor is sealed, the arrangement being such that stuffing boxes, glands, or the like, are eliminated thereby obviating the danger of leakage of the refrigerant from the sealed casing in which the compressor-is located.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigeration or cooling system and apparatus comprising a rotary pump constructed and arranged so that the thrust member of the compressor is located within a fluid-tight casing and does not extend therethrough, so that it is unnecessary to provide stufiing boxes or glands which would otherwise be required to seal the projecting part of the thrust member of the compressor. By reason of this construction and arrangement, it is possible to rotate the compressor elements in relation to the thrust member by means positioned externally of the sealing casing.

The above objects and advantages of the invention and other objects and advantages thereof will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating more or less diagrammatically therefrigeration o1 cooling system and apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section showing a modification.

Referring now to the drawing in detafl, the refrigeration or cooling apparatus embodying the present invention comprises a casing l0 provided with axial cylindrical portions l2 journalled for rotation in bearings l4, whereby said casing is mounted for rotation. It will be understood that casing I0 is fluid-tight, being sealed which provision is made for operating the reagainst the passage of fluid to and from the same.

As here shown, the refrigerant compressor comprises opposed cylinders l6 and I8 formed in casing Hi. The compressor here illustrated has two cylinders but a one cylinder compressor or a compressor having more than two cylinders can be used, as will be readily understood. Each cylinder is provided with a reciprocating piston 20 connected to a thrust member constituted by a stationary crank shaft 22. More specifically said pistons are connected by a piston rod 24 to the crank pin 26 of crank shaft 22. Piston rod 24 may be a single rod connected at its ends to said pistons, respectively, and provided with an intermediate boss 28 through which crank pin 26 extends and which has a rotary bearing on said pin. Crank shaft 22 is journalled'at its op posite ends 30 and 32 in bearing portions 34 and 36, respectively, of casing I0, it being understood that said casing is movable in relation to crank shaft 22 being rotatable about said shaft.

Provision is made for preventing rotation of crank shaft 22 whereby rotation of the cylinders and pistons of the compressor which takes place when casing I 0 is rotated is effective to cause said pistons to reciprocate within their companion cylinders, thereby to compress the refrigerant. For thus preventing or restraining rotation of crank shaft 22, there is provided a lever arm 38 fixed to shaft 22 and provided with a weight 40 which is heavy enough to exert sufficient force through arm 30 on shaft 22 to prevent or restrain rotation of said shaft when casing I0 is rotated. In lieu of or in addition tow'veight 40, there may be utilized a magnetic brake or holding device for preventing movement of shaft 22. Accordingly, as here shown, weight 40 may constitute a magnetic responsive brake'eleinent or armature of the electro-magnet 42. In that case, with magnet 42 energized, the flux of the magnet passes through to the wall of casing I 0, which is made of suitable material to permit the passage of the flux, to the core or armature of the magnetic brake constituted by weight 40 or a part thereof. Thus, there is provided a countertorque device which acts on the thrust member constituted by shaft 22, in the form of the invention illustrated herein, so that relative movement of the compressor members can occur for compressing the refrigerant.

The outlet ports 44 and 46 of the compressor cylinders l6 and I8 are connected through check valves 48 in tubes 49 to the refrigerant cooler 50 constituted by a chamber 5| formed at one end of casing [8 provided with blades 52 to cause a flow of air inwardly through axial opening 53 in stationary casing 54 and outwardly through openings 55 in said casing. The cooled compressed refrigerant passes from cooler 58 to a pipe or tube 58 and through an expansion valve 68 to the inlet of a cooling or refrigeration unit 62. Pipes or tubes 64 are connected to the outlets of refrigerating unit 68 and to inlet ports 66 and 68 of cylinders i6 and I8, respectively, through check valves 10. It will be observed that the refrigerating unit 62 is constituted by a chamber 12 formed in casing in and provided with fins or blades 14. When blades are utilized on unit 62 cool or cold air may be causedto flow through openings 16 and 18 in either direction depending upon the design of the blades. It will be observed also that the flow of air induced by blades 52 of the compressed refrigerant cooling unit 58 for cooling the compressed refrigerant does not reach the cold end of the apparatus but is prevented from so doing by the insulation barrier or gasket which is positioned between the parts 540. and 54b of stationary casing or housing 54. Said gasket is circumferentially continuous and is preferably clamped in position by the bolts 84 which secure said casing parts together.

As thus constructed and arranged, the refrigeration or cooling apparatus of the present invention can be operated by .a motor located externally' of the fluid-tight rotary casing. Thus as here shown, an electric motor M located externally of casing I8 is provided for rotating said casing, and for that purpose drives a pulley 80 fixed to the axial portion I2 of said casing.

It will be understood that some of the structural details of the apparatus have not been specifically illustrated or described but will be obvious to skilled artisans. Thus, for example, it will be understood that the casing may be made in parts to permit assembly of the compressor members therein. Such casing parts may be sealed together by welding them to each other or they may be bolted together with suitable interposed fluid-sealing packings or gaskets. It will be understood also that the apparatus may be used for freezing purposes or for cooling without freezing, that is, for reducing the temperature of an ambient atmosphere or juxtaposed substance or article without producing freezing temperatures, said last mentioned condition being contemplated more particularly in reference to the use of the apparatus for air conditioning purposes.

As a. safety precaution, provision is made for stopping the'rotation of casing in the event that, because of faulty lubrication or for some other reason, shaft 22 should become fixed to and rotate with casing l8 during the operation of the apparatus. In such event, that is rotation of shaft 22 and of the weighted arm carried thereby with casing l 0, said casing would vibrate. Accordingly, provision is made for interrupting the circuit of motor M when excessive vibration of easing l8 occurs by reason of the rotation therewith of shaft 22 and of the weighted lever fixed thereto. The means provided for this purpose more or less diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a circuit breaker 86 in a branch of the motor circuit. Said circuit breaker circuit breaker fails. As here shown the branch circuit through the coil of the circuit breaker is normally closed by contacts 88 and 98 which are normally in engagement with a conductor ring 92 secured to casing [8. Upon vibration of casing ill, the contact between said ring 92 and either one of contact member 88 and 90 will be interrupted, thereby interrupting the circuit through the coil of the circuit breaker 86, thereby interrupting the motor circuit. Circuit breaker 86 remains tripped until positively reset, as is customary with circuit breakers of this type. It will be understood that the device just described for stopping the motor in case shaft 22 becomes fixed to casing l8 and rotates therewith is merely illustrative of one of several devices which may be used for such purpose.

It will be understood that rotary casing I0 may be made in sections bolted together. This is indicated in Fig. 4 which shows casing sections lfla and lb bolted together with an interposed .circumferentially-continuous annular gasket 95 which provides a fluid-tight seal between said casing sections and also is composed of heat insulating material to prevent conduction of heat longitudinally of the apparatus from casing section Illa to casing section lb, 1. e., from the hot end to the cold end of the apparatus. The sections and 54b of the stationary casing correspond to stationary casing sections 5411 and 54b illustrated in Fig. 1, and it will be observed that the insulating gasket 82' does not extend inwardly beyond the inner surface of the stationary casing but terminates in the groove 98 formed between sections 54a and 54b and that gasket 95 which rotates with casing sections Hm and "lb extends into groove 96 to act as a barrier to the passage of air in the space between the rotary and stationary casings from the hot end to the cold end of the apparatus.

It will be noted that when the rotary casing is made in sections, as indicated in Fig. 4, only section lob need be made of non-magnetic material, and then only when the magnetic holding device 42 is utilized as the latter will be located .at section lb and the flux will pass therethrough to the armature on weight 40 without acting as a brake on the rotary casing. In the form of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l, casing III or that portion at which magnet 42 is positioned will be made of material which will permit the flux to pass without impeding the rotation of, the casing. Said portion of casing l0 through which the flux passes to the armature on member 40 can be made of metal which permits the flux to pass without impeding the rotation of the casing and for that purpose a cylindrical section can be welded to adjacent edges of portions of the easing in position between the cylinders and the casing portion in which chamber 12 is formed. The other parts of casing I8 can be made of any suitable metal. 7

- Thus it is seen that the refrigeration system and apparatus disclosed herein are well adapted to accomplish the objects of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that while I have shown a rotary compressor of the type in which the cylinders rotate and the pistons reciprocate, other types of rotary compressors may be used. Similarly,other changes may be made in the apparatus herein disclosed. Accordingly, I do not wish to be limited to the specific form of the invention herein shown or described, except as may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

prising a compressor having relatively movable l. A refrigerator or cooler comprising a rotary fluid-tight casing, a compressor for the refrigerant comprising a compressor cylinder rotatable with said casing and positioned therein and a piston movable within and rotatable with said cylinder, a crank shaft within said casing,said piston being operatively connected to the crank of said shaft, means for preventing rotation of said shaft whereby rotation of said cylinder causes said piston to move in said cylinder, said cylinder having an inlet and an outlet, a refrigerant cooler and a refrigerant expander rotatable with said casing and connected to each other and to said cylinder outlet and inlet, respectively, fluid-pressure-responsive valves in said connections and means positioned externally of said casing and operatively connected thereto for rotating said casing.

2. A refrigerator or cooler comprising a rotary fluid-tight casing, a compressor for the refrig erant comprising a compressor cylinder rotatable with said casing and positioned therein and a piston movable within and rotatable with said cylinder, a crank shaft within said casing, said piston being operatively connected to the crank of said shaft, means for preventing rotation of said shaft whereby rotation of said cylinder causes said piston to move in said cylinder, said means comprising a lever fixed to said shaft and provided with a magnetic brake element positioned within said casing and comprising also a magnet positioned externally of said casing in juxtaposition to said brake element for holding the latter stationary thereby to prevent movement of said shaft, said cylinder having an inlet and an outlet, a refrigerant cooler and a refrigerant expander rotatable with said casing and connected to each other and to said cylinder outlet and inlet, respectively, and means positioned externally of said casing and operatively connected thereto for rotating said casing.

3. A refrigerator or cooler comprising a movable fluid-tight casing, a refrigerant-compressor,

a compressed-refrigerant cooler, and a refrigerator unit all movable with said casing, a thrust member for said compressor positioned entirely within said casing, and means for restraining said thrust member whereby relative movement occurs between said thrust member and the fluidcompression elements of said compressor, said restraining means comprising an electrotmagnet positioned externally of said casing .and

a member positioned internally of said casing and responsive to said electro-magnet.

4. A refrigeration or cooling apparatus comfluid-compression members and a thrust member acting thereon, said fluid compression members being movable as a unit in relation to said thrust member, a fluid-tight casing sealing said compressor and movable therewith, and countertorque means acting on said thrust member including a member sealed within said casing and an electro-ma'gnet disposed externally of said casing and opposing movement of said last mentioned member.

5. A refrigerator or cooler comprising a rotary fluid-tight casing, a compressor for the refrigerantcomprising a compressor cylinder rotatable with said casing and positioned therein and a piston movable within and rotatable with said cylinder, a crank shaft within said casing, said piston being operatively connected to the crank of said shaft, means for preventing rotation of said shaft whereby rotation of said cylinder causes said piston to move in said cylinder, said means comprising a weighted lever arm fixed to said shaft, said cylinder having an inlet and an ant comprising a compressor cylinder rotatable with said casing and positioned therein and a piston movable within and rotatable with said cylinder, a crank shaft within said casing, said piston being operatively connected to the crank of said shaft, means for preventing rotation of said shaft whereby rotation of said cylinder causes said piston to move in said cylinder, said means comprising a weighted lever arm fixed to said shaft, said cylinder having an inlet and an outlet, a refrigerant cooler and a refrigerant expander rotatable with said casing and connected to each other and to said cylinder outlet and inlet, respectively, means positioned externally of said casing and operatively connected thereto for rotating said casing, and means for stopping the rotation of the casing in the event that the shaft becomes fixed to and rotates with said casing.

BERTRAM J. GOLDSMITH. 

